Child killed, 6 injured in Patuakhali stabbing incident

A violent stabbing in Dashmina upazila on Late Thursday night left an eight-year-old boy dead and six others injured.

The deceased, Safayet Hossain, was the son of Jamal Hossain of Charhosnabad village. He succumbed to his injuries while being taken to Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital. His body was later sent to Patuakhali Medical College Hospital for autopsy.

Md Abdul Alim, officer-in-charge of Dashmina Police Station, said the attacker, Sabuj Mridha, 30, also from Charhosnabad, is in police custody and being interrogated. A case will be filed in connection with the attack.

Among the injured, Safayet’s parents, Jamal Hossain and Nasiam Begum, received primary treatment at Dashmina Upazila Health Complex and were discharged. Babul Sardar, 47, and Panchiom Ali, 47, are receiving treatment at the same hospital, while Muin Hasan, 8, and Mariam Begum, 28, were transferred to Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital due to serious injuries.

According to police and locals, Sabuj, reportedly a drug addict with mental instability, entered a home at Mridha Bari around 9:00 pm and began stabbing the occupants indiscriminately.

Local resident Kobir Chowkidar said, "Sabuj has been mentally unstable for a long time due to drug abuse. We tried to catch him, but he climbed a tree. Police and fire service personnel managed to bring him down after four hours."

Anowar Hossain, commander of Dashmina Fire Service and Civil Defence Station, confirmed the four-hour operation to safely apprehend the attacker.